


Open

by sister_wolf



Series: Fractal Geometry [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-20
Updated: 2005-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-12 05:46:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/121451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sister_wolf/pseuds/sister_wolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Steph meets Bluejay, he's sitting at the edge of her apartment building's roof with a six-story drop at his back and a mocking smile on his face, waiting for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Open

The first time Steph meets Bluejay, he's sitting at the edge of her apartment building's roof with a six-story drop at his back and a mocking smile on his face, waiting for her.

"What are _you_ supposed to be?" he asks scornfully. "The Amazing Bat Girl or something?"

Steph takes a deep breath and lets the roof access door swing closed behind her. Her costume is as accurate a copy of Batman's as she could manage, based on a few blurry tabloid photos and some overheard conversations between her dad and his friends -- his fellow criminals, to put it more accurately. She put the costume together during several weeks of feverish sewing and re-sewing on her mother's ancient machine, while her mom was working second shift at the hospital. This is only the third time she's gone out as Batgirl. She can't believe they found her so soon.

At least it's not Batman, just his sidekick, Bluejay. She's pretty sure that Batman could make her pee her pants with terror.

"Something like that," she says in the most calm, level voice she can manage. Her palms are sweating like crazy. She resists the urge to wipe them off on her cape.

"Really." He springs to his feet and prowls toward her. He's easily got three or four inches of height on her, even though she doesn't think he's much older -- 16 maybe, tops. But when he stands looming over her with his hands on his hips and a thoughtful scowl on his face, he's pretty damn intimidating for a guy wearing dorky blue short-shorts.

She's never gotten a good look at the Bluejay costume before; pictures of Batman's sidekick are always blurry, as if he's constantly in motion. His tunic, domino mask, and boots are dark blue, contrasting with the medium blue of his shorts, tee-shirt, and gloves. His cape is bright yellow and makes him stand out like a beacon in the indirect light from the street. She figures there must be some good reason for the brightly colored cape, because otherwise it seems a little like a glowing neon sign for the bad guys: "Aim here to kill the Boy Wonder!"

"Yep. Really." She raises her chin, trying to look confident instead of scared spitless.

"That's funny, I hadn't heard that the big guy was auditioning for another sidekick." He starts circling around her, looking her costume over. "High heels? Were you planning to fight crime or go shopping? And the long blonde hair looks real nice, but it's gonna get in your face and blind you in the middle of a fight."

"The heels are just a temporary thing. I'm going to buy better boots as soon as --" She gasps, choking, as Bluejay suddenly hooks his arm around her neck and pulls her back against him, squeezing hard enough that she can't breathe.

Years of playground fighting experience kicks in, and Steph grabs his forearm and drops, putting her whole weight on his arm to break his hold. She hits the roof on her knees, hard, and staggers to her feet, twisting around to face him with her fists held up defensively. She knows he's got to be way better at fighting than she is, and she probably doesn't have a chance if he's going to seriously attack her, but she can damn well make it hurt for him.

He moves like he's going to punch her, and she tries to block, realizing too late that it was a feint. Instead, he hooks her legs out from underneath her, flipping her onto her back. She rolls to the side and gets back up as quickly as she can, hampered by her cape. He tries the same trick a second time, but she's ready, and jumps back out of the way of his leg sweep.

Bluejay grins at her. "Not bad."

"Really?" Okay, she knows that she just totally sounded like a dork, but this is Bluejay -- _Batman_ trained him. "Cool."

He shrugs and adds dismissively, "For a girl."

"Oh, bite me." Steph sticks her tongue out. She's pretty sure he's not serious about that "for a girl" crack. He'd better not be.

"You wish." He tips his head to the side and seems to consider something for a moment, then makes a little 'come on' gesture with one hand. He's got a wicked smile, curving up more on one side of his mouth than the other, and for the first time Steph really notices that underneath the goofy blue mask he's actually quite cute. "Chase me."

"What?" she asks, startled, but he's already started off running across the roof. Swearing under her breath, Steph gives chase.

He can't possibly be going at his top speed. In her high heels (and yeah, he's got a point, she really needs to get better boots), she's almost keeping up with him. The roof of the building next door is about five feet lower than her building is, and Steph sees Bluejay simply jump off the edge and land as if a five foot drop was nothing. She's a little more careful, holding on to the edge of the roof as she drops.

"Lame," he says, waiting for her with his arms crossed and that scornful look back on his face.

Steph gives him the finger. " _You_ try doing that in heels."

"No thanks. Try to keep up," he says, and starts running again.

They're almost to the edge of the next roof by the time that Steph remembers that there's a _gap_ between this building and the next. Not very big, just three or four feet, but they're six stories above the ground, and if she misses the jump she'll be _dead_. Bluejay, of course, takes the jump like it's nothing.

This is it. If she's gonna be Batgirl, she's gotta be able to take bigger risks than this. Steph doesn't let herself hesitate, doesn't look down, doesn't slow down, just _jumps_.

She lands badly, breaks a boot heel and falls on her hands and knees, skinning her palms. Steph knows she's going to be a mass of bruises in the morning, but right now it doesn't matter. She made it. She _flew_.

"You did it," Bluejay says, sounding surprised. He crouches on the roof next to her, watching Steph pick little bits of gravel out of the heels of her hands. "I totally thought you were gonna choke."

"Screw you," Steph says, smiling so widely that her jaw hurts. Her heart's going a mile a minute and she's about to hyperventilate. She feels _great_.

"Hi, by the way. I'm Bluejay," he says, sticking his hand out. Steph shakes it, feeling a little silly. He's got really big, strong hands for a teenager, much more heavily callused than any of the guys she goes to school with.

"I'm, um. Batgirl." It's the first time she's said it out loud to anyone but her bathroom mirror. It feels momentous, somehow.

"Really?" Bluejay looks skeptical. "Y'know, I _was_ just joking about that. Do you seriously want to be called --"

"Yes," she says. This is what she wants to be. This is who she will be.

Steph takes a deep breath and smiles. "I'm Batgirl."


End file.
